A 20-gal container is big; minimum 5 gallon is usually recommended. Does it have drainage holes? It will need a lot of water through the season, and as with any container, you want that water to be able to drain out.Water it daily when temps are below 80°F; twice when above.
Black paper is generally used to warm the soil and, as you say, warm the soil and keep out weeds. But your plant’s primary soil—the soil it’s growing in—is in the container. Do you have a sandy, loose composted soil mix in the pot? Not dirt from the ground (such as under the black mulch), right? Watermelons like a loose mix to spread out in.
Watermelon vines need something to cling to (when planted on the ground, this might be other plants or vines or even grass). You should expect to provide mesh or trellis or something to help guide your vines. We can’t be sure what they will do on the paper. The vines do not grow into the soil; the plants roots grow into the soil. Not sure if this answers your question.
People often grow watermelons in containers because they lack the ground space, and with containers being relatively small, they choose varieties that produce small fruits. Consider the requirements of the seed variety you choose. (The size of your container makes us think that you’ve growing a large one.)
let us know later in the year how all this works out. Good luck with it!
A 20-gal container is big; minimum 5 gallon is usually recommended. Does it have drainage holes? It will need a lot of water through the season, and as with any container, you want that water to be able to drain out.Water it daily when temps are below 80°F; twice when above.
Black paper is generally used to warm the soil and, as you say, warm the soil and keep out weeds. But your plant’s primary soil—the soil it’s growing in—is in the container. Do you have a sandy, loose composted soil mix in the pot? Not dirt from the ground (such as under the black mulch), right? Watermelons like a loose mix to spread out in.
Watermelon vines need something to cling to (when planted on the ground, this might be other plants or vines or even grass). You should expect to provide mesh or trellis or something to help guide your vines. We can’t be sure what they will do on the paper. The vines do not grow into the soil; the plants roots grow into the soil. Not sure if this answers your question.
People often grow watermelons in containers because they lack the ground space, and with containers being relatively small, they choose varieties that produce small fruits. Consider the requirements of the seed variety you choose. (The size of your container makes us think that you’ve growing a large one.)
let us know later in the year how all this works out. Good luck with it!